The core survey is funded by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The supplements
are also funded by a variety of sponsors including the Department of Health
and Human Services, the Department of Education, and the National Institute
of Child Health and Human Development.

General Description:

The CPS is primarily designed to supply estimates of employment, unemployment
and other characteristics of the general labor force, the population as a
whole, and various subgroups of the population. In addition to collection
of labor force data, the core funding of the CPS provides for collection
of annual data on work experience, income, and migration (the annual March
income and demographic supplement), and school enrollment of the population
(the October supplement). Other supplements conducted include the voting
and registration supplement (November of Congressional and presidential election
years), the child support and alimony supplement (April), the fertility and
birth expectations supplement (June), and the supplement on the immunization
status of the population (most recently collected in September 1995).

Cross-sectional. The CPS has been conducted monthly since 1942. The fieldwork
is conducted during the calendar week that includes the 19th of the month.
In January 1994 a redesigned questionnaire was introduced. This was the most
substantial change to the survey since its inception. This new survey includes
longer and more detailed questions allowing for more accurate and detailed
estimates. The CPS questionnaire is a completely computerized document that
is administered by Census Bureau field representatives across the country
through both personal and telephone interviews. Households are in the survey
for four consecutive months, out for eight, and then return for another four
months before leaving the sample permanently.

Population:

The CPS is representative of the civilian, non-institutionalized population
of the U.S.

Sample Selection and Description:

Data are collected for all household members. Employment and earnings
information is collected for persons ages 15 and over, but tabulated for
all persons 16 and over. One member of each household contacted is the
respondent, and this individual must be a knowledgeable household member
15 years or older. The CPS is administered using a scientifically selected
sample of some 50,000 occupied households nationwide. The CPS design over-sampled
for Hispanics only. (For more detail see Design and Methodology:
http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/tp63rv.pdf)

Respondents are 15 years and older. This primary respondent provides
information for each household member. No upper age limit is used, and full-time
students are treated the same as non-students. For this report, the age of
the adult population is 18 years and older.

Age of Child:

0 to 17 years old

Indicators:

Family structure
Contact with nonresident parents
Parental employment by family structure
Family income
Parental voting
Residential mobility

The Giving and Volunteering in the United States survey collects information
on the giving and volunteering habits of Americans. The survey asks about
individual volunteering habits in the 12 months prior to the survey and about
household giving during the year 2000.

Cross-sectional. The Giving and Volunteering in the United States survey
is a random digit dial (RDD) telephone survey administered between May and
July. The survey was conducted biennially from 1988 through 1998. In order
to move the survey away from traditional elections years, the survey was
administered in 1999 and will continue to be collected biennially.

Population:

This survey is representative of all noninstitutionalized adults 21 years
of age or older in the U.S.

Sample Selection and Description:

The sample included 4,216 adults 21 years of age or older. The survey
over-sampled for of Hispanics, blacks, and affluent Americans with household
incomes of $100,000 or higher. Subsampling of males was also implemented
in order to increase their probability of selection to boost the ratio of
males versus females in the final sample. Questions about contributions were
asked at the household level, whereas questions about volunteer activities
were asked at the individual level. Attitudinal or opinion questions were
also asked at the individual level.

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), U.S. Department of Education

General Description:

The National Household Education Survey Program provides information
on education-related issues, such as the care arrangements and educational
experiences of young children, children's educational activities and the
role of the family in the children's learning, and parental involvement in
their children's schooling. The NHES is designed to provide comparative data
across survey years, repeating topical surveys on a rotating basis. New topics
are added as particular issues gain importance.

Cross-sectional. The NHES was conducted in 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999,
2001, and 2003. This random digit-dialed, computer-assisted telephone interview
includes all 50 states and the District of Columbia. There are plans to continue
the survey periodically in the future.

Population:

The NHES is a representative sample of the non-institutionalized civilian
population of the U.S.

Sample Selection and Description:

In each survey, between 54,000 and 64,000 households are screened to
identify eligible respondents for one of the topics. One or more household
members may be selected to complete more extensive interviews on specific
topics. In general, two topical surveys are conducted in each administration
and 5,000 to 25,000 interviews are completed for each survey. The NHES design
over-samples minorities for reliable estimates for these groups. Approximately
8,000 youth in grades 6 through 12 were interviewed for the Youth Civic
Involvement Survey in 1996 and another 8,000 for the Youth Survey in 1999.
The sample sizes for the parent interview varied by year: in 1996, more than
20,000 parents of children age 3 up through 12th grade responded and in 1999,
more than 24,000 parents of children from newborns up through 12th grade
responded. In 2001, almost 7,000 parents were interviewed for the Early Childhood
Program Participation Survey.

Depending on the survey administered, respondents are either adults 18
to 65 years old, parents of any age, or youth in grades 6 through 12.

Age of Child:

For the parent interviews, in 1996, questions were asked about children
3 years old up through 12th grade; in 1999, questions were asked about newborn
children up through 12th grade, and, in 2001, questions were asked about
children 0-6, not yet in kindergarten and children enrolled in kindergarten
through 8th grade (in this report child care is reported only for children
0-6, not yet in kindergarten). The 1996 and 1999 youth surveys asked youth
in grades 6-12 about themselves.

Indicators:

Patterns of child care
Parental involvement in school
Student participation in community service

Longitudinal. Four surveys were conducted during Wave I (1994 through
1995): in-school, in-home, school administrator, and parent surveys. Wave
II (1996) consisted of in-home and school administrator surveys. Wave III
(August 2001 through April 2002) consisted of an in-home survey. Already
existing databases provided information about neighborhoods and communities.
Questionnaires were administered directly to students using Computer-Assisted
Personal Interview (CAPI) and Computer-Assisted Self-Interview (CASI) systems.

Population:

Add Health is representative of students in the U.S. in grades 7 through
12 in 1997.

Sample Selection and Description:

The Wave I In-School Survey collected information from 90,188 students
in 80 pairs of schools (each pair consisted of one high school and one of
its feeder middle schools, or a single school if it included grades 7 to
12). Approximately 200 adolescents from each school pair were selected for
in-home interviews at Wave I; however, in 16 schools, in-home interviews
were conducted with all students in order to collect information about adolescent
social networks. The sample size for the Wave I In-home Survey was 20,745.
The Wave II In-Home Survey sample consisted of 14,738 adolescents who
participated in the Wave I survey. The Wave III In-Home Survey sample consisted
of 15,197 young adults who participated in the Wave I survey. The study
over-sampled African Americans with college-educated parents, Chinese, Cuban,
Puerto Rican, and physically-disabled adolescents as well as genetic samples
of pairs of siblings who resided in the same household (twins, full and
half-siblings, and unrelated teens in the same household).

Wave I (1995) was made up of subjects in grades 7-12. Wave II (1996)
was made up of these subjects one year later (grades 8-12), but did not include
those who were 12th graders at Wave I. In Wave III, the respondents were
18 to 26 years old.

U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Partial funding support is provided
by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the Department
of Justice, the National School to Work Office of the Departments of Education
and Labor, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
of the Department of Health and Human Services.

General Description:

The NLSY97 is designed to examine the transition from school to work
and into adulthood. It collects extensive information about youths' labor
market behavior and educational experiences over time.

Longitudinal. The NLSY97 is a nationally representative survey designed
to collect information on the transition from school to work and into adulthood.
Extensive information is collected about youths' labor market behavior and
educational experiences over time. The survey also collects information on
many other topics, for example: youths' relationships with parents, contact
with absent parents, marital and fertility histories, dating, sexual activity,
onset of puberty, employment or job skills training, participation in government
assistance programs, life-course expectations, time use, criminal behavior,
and alcohol and drug use. Youths complete personal interviews on an annual
basis. Areas of the survey that are potentially sensitive, such as sexual
activity and criminal behavior, comprise the self-administered portion of
the interview.

Population:

The NLSY97 is representative of individuals in the U.S. who were 12 to
16 years old as of December 31, 1996.

Sample Selection and Description:

During Round 1 of the survey, which took place in 1997, both the eligible
youth and one of that youth's parents completed hour-long personal interviews.
In addition, during the screening process, an extensive two-part questionnaire
was administered that listed and gathered demographic information on members
of the youth's household and on his or her immediate family members living
elsewhere. The Round 1 sample consisted of approximately 9,000 youths who
were 12 to 16 years old as of December 31, 1996. Subsequently, the sample
size has decreased due to attrition to 8,386 in Round 2, to 8,209 in Round
3, to 8,081 in Round 4. The NLSY97 design over-sampled for black and Hispanic
respondents.

Round 1: 12 to 16 year old adolescents and one parent of the adolescent
Round 2: 13 to 17 year old adolescents
Round 3: 14 to 18 year old adolescents and young adults
Round 4: 15 to 19 year old adolescents and young adults
Round 5: 16 to 20 year old adolescents and young adults

The NSCW collects information on how work, family, and personal life
fit together. The survey is based upon the Quality of Employment Survey (QES)
conducted by the Department of Labor from 1969 through 1977. The NSCW addresses
the issues in the QES with a strong business perspective and broader social
and economic perspectives.

Cross-sectional. The NSCW is a nationally representative survey of the
nation's labor force conducted every five years. The first survey was conducted
in 1992 with subsequent surveys in 1997 and 2002 (not yet released). The
NSCW is a random-digit dial survey of households with telephones. Interviews
are conducted using computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) technology.

Population:

The NSCW is representative of employed workers in the U.S.

Sample Selection and Description:

Sample eligibility was limited to people who 1) worked at a paid job
or operated an income-producing business, 2) were 18 years or older, 3) were
in the civilian labor force, 4) resided in the contiguous 48 states, and
5) lived in a noninstitutional residence with a telephone. One householder
was randomly selected to be interviewed in houses where more than one person
was eligible. The 1992 sample consisted of 3,718 respondents and the 1997
sample consisted of 3,551 respondents.

The NSAF is a nationally representative survey that collects information
on child, adult and family well-being in America, with a focus on low-income
families. The survey asks questions related to economic security, health
and health care, child well-being, family environment, as well as other topics.

Cross-sectional. The NSAF is a random-digit dial survey conducted via
computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). Three rounds of the survey
have been collected - 1997, 1999, and 2002.

Population:

The NSAF is representative of the noninstitutionalized, civilian population
under age 65 in the U.S. and in 13 states: Alabama, California, Colorado,
Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New
York, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Sample Selection and Description:

The sample of random-digit dialed households with telephones was supplemented
with a second (area probability) sample of households without telephones.
In each year, interviews were obtained from more than 40,000 households,
providing information on more than 109,000 persons under age 65. The surveys
over-sample families with incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty
level.

Wave I: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD),
Center for Population ResearchWave II and Wave III: National Institute of
Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) & National Institute on Aging

General Description:

The NSFH was developed to gain more information on the causes and
consequences of the changes in American family and household structure.

Longitudinal. Wave I data collection took place from 1987 to 1988. In
Wave I, information about the primary respondent for each family was collected
using a combination of personal interviews and self-administered questionnaires.
A shorter self-administered questionnaire was also given to the primary
respondent's spouse/partner. In addition, basic socio-demographic information
was collected for all household members, including the primary respondents'
children at both Waves I and II. The Wave II, Five-Year Follow-Up was conducted
from 1992 to 1994. In Wave II, personal interviews were conducted with the
original respondent and his or her partner. In Wave III, data were collected
from original respondents with children who are young adults (ages 18 to
33). Release of Wave III data is expected early in 2004.

Population:

The NSFH is representative of noninstitutionalized adults ages 19 and
older in the U.S. who could be interviewed in either English or Spanish.
Persons under the age of 19 were ineligible to be interviewed unless they
were currently married or no one in the household was over age 19.

Panel Study of Income Dynamics - Core Survey and Child Development Supplement
(CDS)

Funder(s):

Original funding agency: Office of Economic Opportunity of the U.S.
Department of Commerce. Current major funding source: National Science
Foundation. Additional funders: the National Institute on Aging, the National
Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Planning and Evaluation of the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the
U.S. Department of Labor.

General Description:

The PSID emphasizes the dynamic aspects of economic and demographic behavior.
The core survey collects data on income sources and amounts, employment,
family composition changes, and residential location. The Child Development
Supplement provides comprehensive data on children and their families with
which to study the dynamic process of early human capital formation. The
data collection for the Child Development Supplement includes the following:
(1) age-graded assessments of the cognitive, behavioral, and health status
of 3,563 children (including about 329 immigrant children), obtained from
various adults involved with the child, and the child; (2) parental and caregiver
time inputs to children as well as how children and adolescents spend their
time; (3) teacher-reported time use in elementary and preschool programs;
and (4) measures of other resources, for example, the learning environment
in the home, school resources, and decennial-census-based measurement of
neighborhood resources.

Longitudinal. The data were collected annually from 1968 to 1997, and
biennially starting in 1999. The Child Development Supplement (administered
in 1997 and 2002-2003) provides data on parents and their 0- to 12-year-old
children.

Population:

The PSID reports on a representative sample of individuals (men, women,
and children) in the U.S. and the family units in which they reside.

Sample Selection and Description:

The original sample was based on a probability sample of about 4,800
households, a combination of a cross-section of about 3,000 families selected
from the Survey Research Center's master sampling frame and a subsample of
about 2,000 families from the Census Bureau's Survey of Economic Opportunity.
Because family members, such as children, who form their own households continue
in the sample, the sample size has grown from 4,800 families in 1968 to 7,406
families in 2001. If a family has a child age 12 or younger, the entire PSID
Household Unit was eligible for the Child Development Supplement. The Supplement
had a sample of 2,394 child households and about 3,600 children.

Data collection is continuous. Data are collected via birth, death, and
fetal death records. All certificates are collected from the 50 states and
the District of Columbia and reported to the Division of Vital Statistics.
Monthly and annual reports of provisional data and annual and special subject
reports based on final data are issued. All states have been included in
the birth registration area since 1933.

Population:

vAll certificates are collected from the 50 states, the District of Columbia,
and the territories, and reported to the Division of Vital Statistics.

The SCCB is the first step in a campaign by over three dozen community
foundations to rebuild levels of connectedness in their communities. This
collaboration builds on the work of Professor Robert D. Putnam (author of
Bowling alone: Collapse and revival of the American community), and the
strategies for civic revitalization outlined in a report by the Saguaro Seminar,
Better Together. The survey collects information on the relative strengths
and areas for improvement in communities' civic behavior.

Cross-sectional. Random-digit dialed telephone interviews were conducted
by Taylor Nelson Sofres Intersearch Corporation between July and November
of 2000. This one-time survey is expected to serve as a baseline with which
to compare future progress. The survey was developed by the Saguaro Seminar
at the John F. Kennedy School of Government with the involvement of a Scientific
Advisory Group consisting of experts on social capital measurement.

Population:

The SCCB is representative of adults, 18 years and older.

Sample Selection and Description:

The national sample consists of 3,000 respondents. The survey includes
a two-times over-sample of Hispanics and African-Americans. In addition,
representative samples in 40 communities nationwide (across 29 states) covering
an additional 26,200 respondents were interviewed. In the national sample,
confidence intervals are plus or minus 2.1 percentage points for the total
population, and plus or minus 5 percentage points for Hispanics and
African-Americans.